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On to Bigger Things—Metalcraft of Mayville Amps Up Machining

Oct 19, 2018

CHALLENGE

Metalcraft of Mayville, Wisconsin is known by most as the OEM of SCAG Power Equipment, but at their 230,000 square foot West Bend facility, they also maintain large-scale welding and fabrication operations for other OEM customers like John Deere, Oshkosh Truck, Lockheed Martin, and Caterpillar. When large part contracts became available, adding competitive machining proved crucial over just traditional fabrication services to become a one-stop shop. Metalcraft’s machine was not keeping up with customer demand or machining to required tolerances. After being down for eight months, a $140,000 quote for repairs sent Metalcraft looking for alternative solutions.

GOALS

  • Equipment that could handle larger envelope of work
  • 5-axis, 5-sided machining capabilities
  • Increased accuracy to reduce waste on high-cost parts
  • High-speed machining of hard metals

SOLUTION

Metalcraft went with JTEKT Machinery horizontal machining centers DESIGNED FOR COMPLEX,
LARGE PART MACHINING. They feature either a 10,000 or 15,000 RPM integral tilting
spindle and rapid feed rates of 1,260 ipm (32 m/min) on the X and Y axes and 1,654 ipm
(42 m/min) on the Z axis. Metalcraft of Mayville’s JTEKT Machinery Fleet:

OUTCOME

REDUCED OPERATIONS & HANDLING
By adding 5-axis machining to their core competencies, Metalcraft has greater control over their lead times by eliminating operations and setups, as they see a push from OEMs for the full production package.

LONGER TOOL LIFE
The large scope capabilities of the FH1250SX-5Axis reduced the need for specialized tools—and the tool life is much longer, even on the larger machines with hard metal applications.

UNPARALLELED ACCURACY
Prior solutions were unable to hold accuracy with tight tolerances, and the previous machine was inconsistent. The FH1250SX-5Axis machines deliver on precision, no matter the job.

REDUCED COSTS
To maintain their workload, Metalcraft was outsourcing machining jobs while the machine was down. With the new JTEKT Machinery machines, Metalcraft can expect to see a quick return on investment instead of paying a premium for a service they could do in house.

ADDED VALUE
Metalcraft’s core competencies were welding and metal fabrication—not machining. By adding the CNC machines, they have added value that wins large scope jobs. Metalcraft has an edge on the competition by offering fabrication and machining, under one roof.

Download Case Study Sales Sheet

ABOUT METALCRAFT OF MAYVILLE
Metalcraft manufactures a wide range of products for many industries including construction, agriculture, military, commercial, industrial, forestry, mining and SCAG outdoor power equipment. Company website: www.mtlcraft.com.

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